The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-05-13
TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH.
Two Tax Fights in Progress-The
States Land Pirates.

Two Tax Fights in Progress-The
States Land Pirates.
ATLANTA, GA, May 12-There promises
to be litigation between the Western Union
Telegraph Company and the Comptroller
General on the question of special taxes,
similar to that now pending in the United
States Court with the Pullman Car Com
pany. Under the tax act the Western
Union is levied ON for 1-2 per cent on its
gross receipts. Supt. Bremen, of Augusta,
makes two returns, the first giving the gross
receipts of earnings between State points
amounting to Sl6,5Sj. The second gives
gross receipts of all business done by the
Georgia offices, amounting to $4S, 291. Mr.
Bremen insists that the first return gives
the proper basis of assessment, and refuses
to pay on the second. The Comptroller has
time and again held against this proposition
and will now, as the act of 1886 CONSTITUTES
gross receipts to mean the full amount of
all money received within the State. John
). Davidson, of Augusta, attorney of the
company, has asked for a hearing before the
the Comptroller on this question, which
will be granted.
THE TELEPHONE TAX.
There is also a difference between the
Comptroller and Telephone Company, which
is taxed 81 on each instrument in use in the
State. Superintendent Cole returned | 1879.
The Comptroller was not satisfied and called
on the tax collectors of the cities where
telephones are used for the correct number,
with the following result: Athens SO, Sa-
vannah 400, Columbus 40, Rome rs; Ma
con 235, Augusta 1870, Brunswick IS, At
lanta ,236; a total of 2,397, or AS more
than were returned.
SUMMER EXCURSION RATES.
Ratio IF ha Do
senger Agents is in annual session at the
office of Commissioner Slaughter to fix the
summer excursion rates to the Northwest
Maj. Leigh Chalmers, Special Examiner
of the Department of Justice, is inspecting
the offices of the United States District At
torney. Clerk Marshall after a three weeks
stay in Atlanta went to Washington city
tonight.
The January proclamation of the Gov
ernor, offering a reward of $3.50 for the ar
rest and conviction of each land pirate in
Southern Georgia, is having a good effect
g. w. johnson has been arrested in Hawk
insville charged with selling lands in Dooly
under forged titles. The Solicitor General
| says he is an old offender and that the proof
is conclusive. The offense is felony with a
penalty of from four to ten years imprison-
ment.
STABBED IN THE SIDE.
1lnk MILTON STABBED BOD StarneS danger
ously in the side tonight at the corner of
| Magnolia and Elliott streets in a row about
a woman. Both men were drinking. Mil
ton was arrested
The Finance Committee of the City Coun-
Gil to-day sold $4,000 worth of At
lanta gas stock, 600 shares, at $25 q
share to Jones a. Pratt, bankers. The
money is to be used in putting up buildings
for. the Piedmont Fair Association The
sale was made for this purpose over the pro
test of City Attorney Goodwin who gave il
| as his opinion that such an appropriation
would be illegal. The Council tabled his
opinion.
| SMACKS OF JOBBERY.
The sale is denounced here as a piece OF
unblushing jobbery, and an effort will be
made to enjoin the city from appropriating
the sum realized to the Piedmont Associa
ton.
1t was publicly stated here to-day that
the Gate City Guards had decided to aban
don their European tour, because of officia
| notification from England that the company
will not be allowed to tread English soil
AT meeting of the company tonight il
was resolved to make the tour and leave
England out of the line of march.